Work holder



April 22, 1952 D. M. CLEVELAND WORK HOLDER Filed March 26, 1948 mmni Z0? 1 N V EN TOR. 0 0/70 0 M C/el e/and v A zforneys Patented Apr. 22, 1 952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WORK HOLDER, Donald -M.'Cl'eveland, Geneva, N. Y.

ApplicatlonMar'ch26, 1948, Serial No. 17,300

2 Claims. 1

This invention'relates to improvements in work holders.

An object of the invention isthe provision of a simple and-eflicient'work holder or support which will be positioned automatically in'enga'gement with the work by the release of a clam-ping means, said means being employed for fixing the support in the "adj usted position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an efilcient work holder or support in which a work-engaging member, is moved automatically into position with the work when a spring acting on the work-engaging member is released by a few turns on 'anut, said nut being employed for fixing the work-engaging member in its automatically adjusted position, said member being shifted bya piston reciprocated in a barrel with cooperating means on the piston and barrel for preventing the piston from being discharged from the barrel.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan viewof one form of my support.

Figur 2 is a horizontal section of the support taken along the line 2-2 of Figure3.

Figure 3 is a side view in elevation of the support shown in operative relation with a piece of work.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a'fragmentary view in elevation of an extension which is applied to the support.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in elevation and partly in section showing a modified form of a work engaging member, and

Figure 7 is a horizontal section of another form of the support.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, Hi designates a base member adapted to be attached to or mounted on a surface or a fixture of a milling or a vertical boring machine or other machines in which it is necessary to employ a support under the work to prevent the work from springing away from the tools. A post I! formed integrally with the base has a vertical passage I2 extending through the post. The lower end of said passage is threaded to receive a plug [3. Said post is rectangular in cross section. The top of the post and in embracing relation with the passage I2 is provided with a countersunk recess l4 for the reception of a steel 2 washer It and a felt washer IS. A plate or cap Ilis secured to the top of the post and has a central passage in alignment with the passage I2. Thesewashers have a flat side to fit the fiat side 2| of the piston or bar.

A piston or bar 20 is mounted for vertical sliding movement in post H. A flat portion 2| extends for a portion of the length of the piston. Said fiat portion has a taper of .005 of an inch for each inch of length. This taper counteracts any tendency for the piston to slip when a pull is exerted thereon. A stop flange 22 at the lower end of the piston prevents the piston from being discharged from the passage [2. A stud 23 is threaded into a pocket in the upper end of the piston and is used for applying work engaging members to said piston. The outer end of the Stud is provided with a socket 23a adapted to be engaged by a suitable tool for turning the stud. A coil spring 24 is located in the passage l2 be tween the lower end of the piston 23 and the plug l3 and tends to force the piston upwardly at all times in the post.

A wedge 25 in the shape of around rod is mounted in a passage 2% located transversely of the post I l Said passage opens into the vertical passage l2 so that a flat portion 27 of the wedge will be in engagement with the fiat portion 2| of thepiston 2!),

It will be noted from Figure 2 that an edge of the flat portion 21 of the wedge 25 will be contacted by'the flange .22 on the lower end of the piston 20 and will prevent the spring 24 from ejecting the piston from the passage l2. A hexagonal nut 30 is threaded into the outer pro- 'jecting end of the wedge '25 for drawing said wedge up tight on the piston 20. The nut may be rotated by the usual wrench or by an Allen wrench which is applied to a socket 3i.

A knurled connector 33 has a threaded socket 34 to receive the projecting end of the stud 23. A pin 35 extends upwardly from the connector and is received by a passage 36 in a saddle 31 provided with a V-shaped notch 38. The notch is particularly adapted to receive a piece of work 39 which is circular in cross section.

In Figure 5 is shown an extension 40 which may be applied to the stud 23 and which is employed to support work at a higher elevation. A second threaded stud 4| projects vertically from the upper end of the extension. A knurled cap 42 is mounted on said stud.

In Figure 6, another form of work-engaging member is disclosed for use with fiat work. The threaded stud 23 of the piston 20 receives a con- 3 nector 43 which has a universal socket 44 receiving a ball 45. A shank 46 rises from the ball and carries a plate 41 for supporting the work.

In Figure 'l is shown a modified form or wedge or clamping element and the associated piston. All the other elements, however, are identical in construction with similarly placed elements illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive and therefore the same reference numerals will be applied. In this form, the clamping element or rod 50 is circular in cross section and has an arcuately shaped notch 5|, receiving the piston 20a. The lower end of said piston is provided with a circular flange 52 which will be engaged by the member 50 to prevent accidental ejection of the piston by the spring 24. The nut 30 draws the member 50 up tight on the piston for fixing the piston in position against the tension of the spring.

The operation of the support and its application to a piece of work is simple. After the base I0 has been applied suitably to a machine and after the piston 20 or 20a has been depressed and secured in place by the member 25 or 50, the proper work-engaging member is applied to the upper end of the piston. With the work in place, the nut 30 is released to permit the spring 24 to raise the piston and position the work-engaging member in contact with the work. The nut 30 is then drawn up taut for retaining the piston in its elevated position.

After the operations on the work have been completed, the nut 30 is released. Downward pressure on the work-engaging member will lower the piston after which the nut 30 is drawn up taut for holding the piston in an inoperative position.

The washer 15 in co-operation with the felt washer l6 prevents filing or other fine metal particles from reaching the interior of the hollow post II. The plate I! maintains the washers in place when the piston 20 is reciprocated in the passage I2 in the post.

No washers are employed in Figure '7 in connection with the piston 20a. Said piston may be machined to provide a close fit in the passage 12 so that metal particles cannot enter the passage.

What I claim is:

1. A work support comprising a post having a longitudinal bore extending through one end of the post, a substantially vertical reciprocatory bar mounted within .the bore of the post and having one end exposed beyond said end of the post, work engaging means carried by said one end of the bar, a spring mounted within the bore of the ice post and engaging the other end of said bar and urging said bar out of said one end of the post, the upright post being provided with a transverse bore intersecting the bore of the post, a transverse locking rod slidably mounted within the transverse bore of the post and extending laterally beyond opposite sides of the bar, the looking rod being provided in its side with a recess receiving the bar and defining a clamping surface, one end of the locking rod extending laterally outwardly beyond one side of the post and being screw-threaded, and a nut mounted upon the screw-threaded end of the locking rod and turnable for drawing the locking rod axially in a direction to clamp the bar between the clamping surface of the recess and the bore of the port.

2. In combination, a post having a longitudinal bore extending through one end thereof. a reciprocatory bar slidably mounted in the bore and having one end exposed beyond said one end of the post, a spring mounted in said bore and engaging the other end of the bar and urging said bar outwardly of said one end of the post, said bar being formed in its side with a longitudinally extending fiat face arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the bar and diverging toward said one end of the bar, the post being formed with a transverse bar intersecting the longitudinal bore of the post. a looking rod slidably mounted in the transverse bore and extending crosswise of the reciprocatory bar. said locking rod being formed with a longitudinally extending flat face engaging the fiat face of the bar, the fiat face of the locking rod being arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the locking rod, said rod having a threaded end extending beyond the side of the post, and a nut threaded on said threaded end of the locking rod, said nut being rotatable on said threaded end to bear against a portion on the post and move said plunger rod endwise in the transverse bore so as to wedge said bar between the longitudinal bore of the post and the flat face of the locking rod and thereby lock the bar in a selected longitudinal position.

DONALD M. CLEVELAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

